The National tribune., 1887-07-07
OUR RURkL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for 0ur
Agricultural Readers
RAISING LAMBS.

RAISING LAMBS.
With the neglect that has been given to
sheep husbandry in some sections Of the coun-
try, it has come to be about as profitable as
any branch Of farm industry that can be en-
gagged in. A greater part of the profit comes
from the raising of lambs for the butcher.
Keeping sheep is profitable to the farmer in
more ways than one. They perform an
important service as scavengers, devouring
weeds, briers and bushes that would grow in
pasture undisturbed by cattle. This fact is very
forcibly illustrated upon New England farms
where sheep raising has been abandoned. We
have marked the effect upon adjacent farms,
one of which carried sheep with clean smooth
pasturage, the other naturally the same, but
without sheep having its pasturage rendered
unsightly by the vigorous growth of weeds,
bushes and briers that cattle would not touch.
Then again, sheep by being fed a small guam
tity of grain, will live and do well upon the
poorer quality Of feed that the hay-ields af-
ford. But regarding the lambs, ii is desirable
TO have them como in the early Spring, and
therefore the coupling Of the ram and ewes
should be regulated with that end in view. If
the sheep are young and vigorous las they al
ways should be, there being no profit in under
taking to keep poor, unhealthy sheep,) and the
quarters for them in Winter warm, the lambing
season may be made earlier. Sheep require
warm stabling, and at the same time no farm
animal requires purer air than they and for
that reason there should be the most perfect
ventilation. Pure air is one of the essentials
TO their health, which is necessary to insure
vigor. Such sheep will give birth to strong,
active lambs. III the sheep are properly kept,
and the young lambs continue to grow. if they
can be developed so as 10 be ready for market
by May or June they will generally bring gilt
edged prices; but in order to produce Fall
lambs in Winter requires extra and special
feeding. The feeding must be with view to
the production of rich and abundant milk by
the mother. ROWen hay is also excellent, and
will be eaten by the lambs themselves as they
get little age. There is no mode of growing
lambs more easy than that of having them
come along about the time the flock is turned
to grass. The young grass is productive of
milk just suited to the growth of the lambs
and they will develop with great rapiNty.
POINTS OF GOOD MIXER.
A good mixer must be able to eat great
deal Of food. Milk cannot be made without
something TO make it from. The cow does not
secrete milk from the air. but from her blood,
and her blood is supplied from the food she
eats. To eat great deal cow must have q
strong jaw, and we may put this down as one
of the marks of a good mixer. A strong jaw
does not necessarily require big head. at least
what is called bulls head, large in the upper
part, but a strong lover jaw, with strong mus
cles to operate it. Any expansion of the head
in other directions may be a detriment rs
drawing from her food 10 support it.
A good mixer must digest great deal of
food. This requires an ample stomach or stOm-
achs. for the cow has four. A large stomach is
indicated externally by large abdomen aud a
great breadth between the hips. or a great
breadth Of loins. A judge Of cows will tell you
that a COW should be wedge-shaped, tapering
from abdomen TO nose.
good mixer will have large milk veins
that is, large veins leading to the udder, under
the belly. These large veins indicate large
mixer.
Whether what is called the escutcheon, the
portion of the hind part Of the udder and ada
cent parts on which the hairs turn hack in OPP
position TO the general direction of the hair, is
any indication to the milking qualities of the
cow. is disputed question. Many believe that
where it is large il indicates good mixer
where small, poor one. Others put no faith
in il.
A soft, velvety feeling of the skin, and rich,
yellow color, especially in the inside of the
ears, is believed to indicate rich milke- at
least, if not a large one. 1t is believed to show
q tendency to fat, and consequently butter.
IRRIGATION.
An exchange says: when we see floods of
water running off in Spring to be wasted, and
reflect on the pressing need likely TO be felt in
July and August, we have to say that our
neglect 10 save that which might easily be held,
is punished none too severely by drOughts that
cut crops down by One-half, and reduce the
81 Nxt.Its ,l. hot haI ay,a
fits of irrigation are great and that it could be
followed in many instances at reasonable ex-
pense cannot be denied, but it must be remem-
bered that very much of the flows of water can
not be husbanded without an expenditure
much beyond the means of most farmers.
IL the contour of a farm is Of that character
that a reservoir can be formed, which would be
supplied by the natural flows Of water from a
stream, or the water flowing from natural
slopes. and so saturated as 10 be able to supply
water for purposes of irrigation to a large pro-
portion OF the farm, such a reservoir might be
constructed, if not too expensive, and the bene-
fits from the use of the water would be inesti-
mable. But how many farms are so situated as
TO render such action wholly impossible. Irri-
cation is question Of expense, and until means
are employed TO determine the actual money
value derived from il, so as TO know how far
expenditure can profitably be made to carry it
Oh, il will be likely TO be confined TO such
means as can be most easily and cheaply en-
ployed.
TO SOFTEN HORSES FEET.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: I would say
to J. b. C., Norwich, Conn, in answer TO his
question in last weeks NATIONAL TRIBUNE,
that if he will take good pine tar and spirits Of
tuTpentine in equal parts, put in a bottle and
shake well put wood cork in the bottle, aud
put q small hole through the cork, and squirt
portion twice week on his horses hOOf out
side aud under. il will soften and cause the feet
to become healthy. Try it," BLACKSMITH, y
Strongstown, Pa.
Tho best material for fattening fowls is
sweet potatoes and cOrnmeal.
Try the Monarch rhubaTb. It's stems are
twice as large rs those Of any ether kind raised,
and the quality is fine.
- In the case of trees which bear in alter
nate years, judicious thinning will often result
in considerable fruit in the off years.
A dollars worth of taTred paper placed on
the walls of a poultry-house to keep out the
cold, will return its cost tenfOld ia few
weeks.
1t pays 10 clean out the cOOps every day,
provided the droPpings are carefully preserved.
The droppings begin 10 deteriOrate in quality
as soon they reach the floor.
"A breeder OF pOnltTy says: Every Spring
lprocure quantity of cedar boughs and scatter
them plcntifully in and around the hen-house.
The OdOr Of cedar keeps away vermin. The
remedy is simple and effective"
An excellent reproducing food is one
mart cOrnmeal two Darts hran two M rte prnrt 4